Peach-Orange! – Chapter 285 – Just Being Family is Enough

When a person has love and clear goals, their motivation increases dramatically.

Just like Su Tao right now.

While eating breakfast with Chi Xiaocheng, the door suddenly opened, and Fang Ning walked in, exhaling a puff of warm air, holding a steamer basket of xiaolongbao ¹ Dumplings in her hands.

One had gone out early to buy breakfast.

The other had made it herself.

And the winner was Su Tao.

Because by this point, Chi Xiaocheng was already seventy percent full, sipping the last of her nutritious porridge.

The atmosphere in the room was tense. Su Tao sat up straight and raised an eyebrow at Fang Ning like a victor.

Fang Ning wasn’t embarrassed either. Smiling, she asked Chi Xiaocheng, “Sister Xiaocheng, are you full? I bought xiaolongbao… they’re still hot.”

“Ah… no need, I’m already full. Thanks, Ningning.”

“Alright, then I’ll eat them myself.”

Her tone didn’t sound particularly disappointed, but she still sat down beside Chi Xiaocheng and began eating the single-serving portion of xiaolongbao.

They couldn’t eat together, but they could still chat happily.

Seeing this, Su Tao didn’t compete recklessly like before. Instead, she picked up her bowl and went to the kitchen to wash it.

She already knew what she should and shouldn’t do.

Rеаԁ οn ΚаtRеаԁіngCаfе

She had to be more proactive than Fang Ning, care more about Xiaocheng than Fang Ning did.

But she couldn’t act unreasonably in front of Xiaocheng. Before Dongfang Yang returned with the doctors, she needed to stabilize her emotions.

And the person she loved wasn’t just the Xiaocheng from before. Even without her memories, Xiaocheng was still the one she loved.

Her feelings shouldn’t be severed just because of memories.

…

Like a martial artist breaking through their limits, Su Tao became increasingly normal and proactive in Chi Xiaocheng’s eyes.

For the rest of the day, she didn’t bring up memories at all.

Aside from the occasional friction with Fang Ning, she was so normal that it seemed like she had regained her former confident and resilient self.

She knew when to advance and when to retreat, clingy but not annoying.

Her sense of distance and conversation topics were perfectly controlled, as if she had integrated life’s emotional intelligence into romance, making Chi Xiaocheng feel comfortable.

Time flew by, and soon it was the night of the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Fang Ning had been staying over for three days now. During this time, her relationship with Su Tao had deteriorated to the point where they didn’t even pretend to be friendly anymore.

She made it clear: “Since you don’t care about Sister Xiaocheng, I’ll take her from you.”

This was completely outside the plan.

Rеαd οո KаtRеαⅾіոɡСаfе

Even Chi Xiaocheng didn’t know what Fang Ning was really trying to do.

Unable to hold back any longer, she pressed again, “Ningning, tell me clearly, what exactly are you trying to do? Right now, Tao-Tao sees you as a full-blown enemy.

“You keep provoking her over and over. If she loses control, you could be in real danger!”

Chi Xiaocheng had her own “darkening” ability and knew how terrifying a yandere could be when pushed too far.

With Su Tao’s combat skills, Fang Ning wouldn’t stand a chance… maybe two punches?

Not to mention, Chi Xiaocheng was worried about another possibility.

So after asking, she stared intently at Fang Ning, giving the younger girl no room to evade.

Fang Ning sighed. “Well… following Sister Xiaocheng’s plan would work too, but it’s too slow. Sister Su Tao isn’t just any blockhead. She’s developed possessiveness toward you, but what comes after that?

“If she just wants to own you, even if you act your way into a relationship, you’d still have to rebuild your feelings from scratch.

“Besides, Sister Xiaocheng, the pressure you’re putting on her is too much. So much that Sister Su Tao can’t think clearly and loses her way.

“I’m just playing the role of a ‘mirror,’ giving Sister Su Tao something to compare herself to. That’s all.”

Fang Ning pouted slightly and added, “If we went by Sister Xiaocheng’s plan, who knows how long it’d take for you two to get together?”

Chi Xiaocheng looked at her in surprise. “Why do you sound even more impatient than me?”

“Because I want to see you happy.”

“Ningning, let me ask you seriously one more time.” Chi Xiaocheng’s expression turned grave. “This might be me overthinking things, but… you haven’t fallen for me, have you? No matter what, we could never be together. I only love Tao-Tao.”

Reаd οn КαtRеаԁingСаfe

She wanted to avoid any possible misunderstandings.

And it was also her deepest conviction.

There was no room in Chi Xiaocheng’s heart for anyone else.

Fang Ning was a good girl, and Chi Xiaocheng would treat her like a little sister, but she could never love her.

Some things needed to be said outright.

Fang Ning’s lips, which had been curled in a faint smile, stiffened for a split second. Then she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Sister Xiaocheng, you’ve been worrying about this the whole time?”

Chi Xiaocheng: “Uh….”

Fang Ning sighed. “Come on, I know you and Sister Su Tao are a thing. Why would I like you? Besides, I’m a normal girl. Normal!”

She emphasized her gender before continuing, “And if I did have those kinds of feelings, I would’ve found an excuse to sneak into your bed at night already.”

She was the one who had volunteered to sleep on the floor!

Moreover, Fang Ning had a very clear understanding of herself.

In every aspect, she fell short of Su Tao.

Poor background, low education, timid personality, no skills, no future.

Her current job? She knew it was just luck, a “pity offer” from Dongfang Yang. Whatever dignity she had now was given to her by others.

Rеαⅾ οn KаtRеαԁіոɡCаfe

Not to mention the decade-plus she’d spent following Liu Guijia in wrongdoing.

How could someone like her ever compare to Su Tao, who excelled in every way except emotional awareness?

People pitied the weak but would never accept them.

For her, love was nothing but a ridiculous fantasy.

‘If someone were to be liked by me, hugged by me… they’d just end up with deadweight clinging to them.’

With a quiet sigh in her heart, Fang Ning smiled at Chi Xiaocheng. “Sister Xiaocheng, do you know what my biggest wish is?”

Chi Xiaocheng glanced at her. “What is it?”

“To one day become family by your side.”

Being treated as a little sister made her happy, but even that felt like too much greed.

Fang Ning reached out toward the window as if trying to pluck a star from the night sky.

But the clouds were thick, and not a single star was visible.

Her hand closed around empty air.

Noticing Chi Xiaocheng’s slightly guilty expression, Fang Ning patted her cheeks and suddenly laughed. “Pfft— hahaha! I was just joking! Did you actually believe me, Sister Xiaocheng?”

Before Chi Xiaocheng could react, she quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, Sister Xiaocheng, do you know that in your relationship with Sister Su Tao, aside from her issues… you have a big problem too!”